Woodworking machine



Sept. 23, 1941. J. E. BOICE WOODWORKING MACHI'NE Filed Jan. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. E. BOICE WOODWORKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1939 F/G3 ;k\\\% Sept. 23, 1941 Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES FAT ENT OFFICE WOODWORKING MACHINE John E. Boice, Toledo, Ohio ApplicationJanuary 19, 1939, Serial No. 251,697

3' Claims. (01. 144-253) Another object of this invention is to produce a simple, single, easily' manipulated structure that can in one position slowly traverse the fence and in another position lock it in position and in a third position render the fence capable of a rapid traverse'or'quick adjustment.

Still another object of the invention is' to reduce the number of fence controls on a wood working machine, simplify the operation thereof and reduce the cost of manufacture and maintenance of the fence control.

With the above objects in view, the following specification and attached drawings set forth the preferred embodiment of the invention and any and all modifications, variations and alterations of structure thereof are included within the invention disclosure and is' limited only by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the control showing a portion of the fence and table structure.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the control and 2 including a portion of the fence.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the combination lock and traversing mechanism.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the mechanism in a different position from that of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of the mechanism in a different position from-that of Figures 3 and 5.

Figure '7 is a bottom plan view of the housing supporting the locking mechanism.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of a modified traversing wheel.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the modified traversing wheel taken along the line 9-4! of Figure 8.

The accurate positional control of the fence of a wood working machine is anessential to the accurate cutting and finishing of a work piece. It is'also essential that the controls'be simplified and made readily accessible without the necessity of grasping several controls and reducing the number of controls to a minimum. With this general purpose in mind there is arranged on table I of the wood working machine a fence support element in the shape of a bar or tubular element 2 rigidly secured by means of a connecting element 3 to the table I.

A housing. 4 supports the fence 5 for movement on support 2 and also for movement over. the surface of table I. Housing 4 and fence 5 must be locked securely in adjusted position. Element 60 is the manipulating. end of a device (not shown) adapted to lock the free end of the fence in position. Housing 4 pivotally supports a separate locking and traversing mechanism hereinafter more fully described, which locking mechanism holds housing 4 in adjusted position on support 2. It is apparent therefore from. the foregoing that bothfence 5 and housing 4 are capable of being firmly held in adjusted position.

Housing 4 is shown in side elevation in Figure 1 and in bottom plan view in Figure '7, and in top view in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows the general section view of the housing. From these views it is apparent that the housing is provided with a central element 6. This comprises a pair of web structures 1 and 8 which at their free or outer end are connected by a traverse web structure Hi. The housing is further provided with side extensions or wings II and I2; These extensions are provided with curved surfaces I3 and I4 which bear against tubular element 2 and which surfaces also provide bearing support for the housing 4 whereby the housing and its associated fence may be traversed relative to table I.

Housing 4 is further provided with a pair of forwardly extending lug elements It and I1. These lugs pivotally support the locking and traversing element. Lugs l6 and l! are integral with housing 4. lIhe upper part of element 6 of housing 4 has a finished machined surface as at l8 upon which fence 5 rests. The housing 4 has two apertures 15 and I9 drilled into it through which screws or other securing means (not shown) of a conventional character pass and which are threadedinto fence 5 to firmly clamp fence 5 to the housing 4.

The housing is further provided with a pair of apertures 20 and 2| which constitute a means for enabling the operator to read the indicia 22 engraved into support 2 whereby the operator may determine the accuracy of adjustment of fence 5 and its associated housing 4. A pair of pointers 23 and 24 are secured to one of the walls of openings 20 and 2| by screws 25 and 28 to assist the operator in accurately adjusting the fence 5. Attention at this point is invited to the fact that extensions H and I2 of housing 4 have both vertical and horizontal portions with a curved surface as at 2'! connecting the two, thereby completely extending over tubular element 2 on its top and side.

Means have been provided in this invention to provide for slowly traversing, rapidly traversing and locking the'housing and fence 5. This means comprises a bolt 28 which is rotatably supported in housing 4. Bolt or rod 28 is not only rotatable: on its own axis but is also swingably or rotatably mounted on an axis transverse to itself. To this end a yoke element 29 is provided shaped generally as shown in Figure 4. Yoke 29, as shown,.

is provided with a substantially cylindrically shaped portion 30, and a second portion 3|, the two'foregoing portions being connected by web like portions 32 and 33.

Portion13| has provision to receive a pair of suitable bearings 34 and 35 which engage suitable 'drillings in the yoke element 29. Bearings 34 and 35 may be provided'with well known eccentric devices (not shown) to permit adjustment for wear when desired. These bearings, 34 and 35, which are mounted in lugs l6 and I1, permit the bolt or rod 28 to rotate on its own axis for reasons to be more specifically hereinafter set forth. 5

Bolt or rod 28 isequipped with a head structure 36 which has a bearing engagement with a Y suitably finished end surface on element 3|. Bolt or rod,28 has a portion 31 which is of somewhat larger diameter than the adjacent portion of the bolt'28. This enlarged diameter portion 3'! is slightly greater in length than the width of element 3|. Theenlarged portion 31 constitutes in effect one of the bearings for the rotation of bolt or rod 28. Element 30 constitutes the other bearing for the rod 28, thereby providing ade- 'quate rotational support for element 28.

Juxtapositioned to element 3| is a washer or spacer element 38 mounted on bolt 28. Spacer 38 abuts against enlarged portion 31 of bolt 28. Spacer 38 is spaced from element 3| a distance sufficient by reason of the length of enlarged portion 31 extending slightly beyond the inner or left hand wall of portion 3| as seen in Fig. 3, to prevent spacer 38 binding upon portion 3| and enabling rod 28 and its associated structure to freely rotate. Arranged on shaft 28 and in immediate contact to spacer 38 is a roller 39. This roller is of composition material, preferably of rubber although a fiber or other relatively soft and tough material is equally adequate. Roller 39 bears directly against tubular support 2, such that when shaft or rod 28 is rotated, housing 4 and fence 5, when the look (not shown) actuated by 60 is released, may be traversed relatively of table I and tubular element '2.

Arranged inimmediate proximity to roller 39 is a second spacer 48 against which a nut 4| bears which is threaded to the threaded portion of shaft 42 on bolt 28. When nut 4| is tightened the entire assembly 48, 39 and 38 is tightened against portion 31 which in cooperation with head 36 prevents any appreciable relative axial movement of the bolt or rod 28 and the yoke element 29. I

Element 38 is provided-with a machined surface 4| a to which a spring element 43 is applied ing two unequal radii.

by means of screws 44 and 45. Spring 43 has portions 49, 47, and 48, the functions of which will be hereinafter-set forth. Rod or bolt 28 extends beyond the housing 4 at which end a handle 52 is applied. The handle 52 has a reduced portion 53 which in one position of the handle 53 fits into a slot 55 arranged in wall ID of housing 4. A set screw 54 is threaded in the reduced portion 53 of the handle 52 to lock the handle securely in place on rod 28. I

Portion 3| of yoke 29 is equipped with a cam 58. The profile of this cam is produced by blend- The radius for surface 55a is greater than the radius for surface 58b. The cam is equipped with a projection 5| whose function will be more definitely set forth in connection withthe description of the operation of the device.

A rod or bolt 49 is assembled in the housing 4 with which spring 43 is adapted to cooperate. The portions 43, 41, and part of 48 of spring 43 in cooperation with rod 49 function as detent mechanism for the purpose of holding the rod 28 and its assembly in adjusted position.

The operation of this mechanism is entirely manual. The rod 29 has three positions of adjustment which effect or control" the movement and adjustment of the fence 5 and housing structure 4. These controls are severally, a slow feeding motion of the fence when the bolt is in the position shown in Figure 3. When the bolt 28 is moved to the position indicated in Figure 5, rod 49 occupies a position in depression 41 of spring 43. In this position the roller 39 is released from bearing against support 2 whereupon the fence may be manually and rapidly traversed relative to table I The position indicated in Figure 5 is somewhat exaggerated to illustrate the relative position of roller 39, cam 58 and support 2.

The third position of the rod 28 is indicated in Figure 6 (exaggerated to show the relativeposition of the parts) wherein the spring 43 engages rod 45 between portion 4'! and 48. In this position cam 50, and preferably surface 5flb bears against support 2 and functions as a lock to hold housing 4 firmly in adjusted position. In the event the earn 5!! becomes worn or part 2 becomes worn, or the bearings 34 and 35 become worn, the shaft or rod 28 may be prevented from swinging out of range of convenience by having portion or projection 5| engage with support 2. Normally, however, portion 48 of the spring 43 engages shaft 49 and prevents the shaft or con.- trol from swinging out of range. The part 5| does not come into action until a failure of part 43 of spring 43.

Assuming that it is desired to adjust fence 5 and assuming that the look (not shown) controlled by 68 has been released, rod 49 is now positioned in depression 41 and the operator then rapidly manually moves the fence 5 and housing 4 to approximately the desired position. Rod 28 is then adjusted to position shown in Figure 3 in which depression or position 46 of spring 43 engages rod 43. In this position roller 39 is pressed against support 2. Handle 52 is now slowly rotated whereupon fence 5 is slowly moved or fed, or traversed to desired position by the operator watching either of pointers 23 and 24 as they pass or approach the proper indicia 22. After the desired, adjusted position has been reached rod 23 is dropped to the position approximated in Figure 6 locking housing 4 to support 2.

A modification of the friction wheel or roller structure is shown in Figures 8 and 9. Shaft 28' has a flattened portion 28" over which metal insert 35)", preferably of hexagonal shape, is placed; it having a corresponding internal fiattened portion to cooperate with the similar portion 28 of rod 28'. The rubber portion 33' is bonded to portion 39" and by reason of the cooperating flattened surfaces and the hexagonal shape of the insert a relative rotation of the parts is eliminated. When the wheel is assembled in the control unit the insert prevents a lateral compression of the rubber portion 39' by nut 4| and thereby prevents an alteration of the diameter of the wheel or roller 39'. Manifestly other forms of drive may be used e. g. a rack and pinion mechanism whereby relative movement of housing A and support 2 may be eifected.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the rod 28 and its associated structure permit a slow feeding or approach to adjusted position of the fence, or permits a rapid movement of the fence, or looks the fence in position depending upon whether the rod 28 is in the position indicated in Figure 3, 5 or 6.

That which is considered neW, novel and useful and that which it is intended to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a machine tool device, a table, a fence adjustably mounted on the table, a support mounted on said table, a housing slidable on said support, said fence secured to said housing, a unitary control means pivotally mounted in said housing, means on said control means for locking the fence in position, said control means including a rotatable means adapted to slowly traverse said fence, said last two means being arranged in coaxial relation on said control means and spring means on said control means engageable with a portion of said housing whereby said control means is maintained in a selected position of adjustment.

2. In a traversing control means for a Woodworking machine, a housing in which said control is adjustably mounted, means to maintain said control means in any one of three different positions of adjustment, said control means having a rotatable portion adapted to slowly move said housing, said control means having a cam portion thereon to lock said housing in position, and when both of said portions are inactive said housing may be rapidly manually traversed, and each of said foregoing actions depending upon a definite position of one of the three positions of adjustment of said control means.

3. In a Woodworking machine having a table and a fence relatively movable, a support mounted on the table, a housing slidable on said sup-- port and to which said fence is secured, a control element pivoted in said housing, said control having a rotatable portion engageable with said support to slowly move said housing on said support, said control having a second portion engageable with said support to lock said housing in position, said housing being relatively rapidly movable on said support when both said portions are disengaged from support, and means on said housing and control to hold said control so that each of said portions is either selectively brought into engagement with said support or kept disengaged from said support.

JOHN E. BOICE. 

